NEEDLES DIAMOND RACING PRODUCTS FAIR MEMORIAL VICTOR
NEEDLES DIAMOND RACING PRODUCTS FAIR MEMORIAL VICTOR
Flat Rock, MI—6-25-16: St. Joseph, MI driver Steve Needles battled Harold Fair Jr. in a door to door style for nearly 50 laps, taking the lead with 12 laps to go on his way to victory in the Diamond Racing Products Joy Fair Memorial 100 Saturday night at Flat Rock Speedway. A strong 34 car Moran Chevrolet Late Model field was on hand for the ARCA Royal Truck and Trailer Gold Cup/Main Event Late Model Series contest.
Members of the Fair family presented the trophy and Gold Cup to Steve in the 7-Up Winner’s Circle. Debbie Delong, Joy’s daughter, greeted the crowd and spoke for the family. Saturday’s race was the 5th annual event to honor Joy Fair, who passed away in 2010. Fair is the all-time win leader at the track with 159 wins. The track also hosted its annual Racer’s Reunion.
The 10 car inversion put first-time Flat Rock visitor Alex Rosenberry on the pole with another first-time Flat Rock racer, Justin Claucherty. Alex took the lead on the start and led for 23 laps until Dakota Carlson grabbed the point by using the high groove to get around Alex for the lead. Dakota would stay there until lap 32 when Harold Fair Jr. (no relation to Joy Fair) took control of the race. A total of 7 yellow flags for mostly minor incidents kept the field bunched. Fair had moved from his 6th starting spot to the front, while Needles charged up to 3rd by lap 29. The lead duo put on a great battle for the lead lap after lap, including several restarts, with Fair strong on the low side and Needles working his machine in the outside lane. Steve would nose ahead of Harold several times, but Fair would dive right back into the lead. The final restart on lap 87 gave Needles his final chance to grab the lead. Fair had a right front tire going down and Steve shot by Fair on lap 88 as he grabbed the win in only his second race at “The Rock”. On the final lap, third place runner Brian Bergakker and fourth place man Jack Landis made contact, send Brian hard into the turn 2 wall at the entrance gate. Brian was ok but his car suffered heavy damage. Bergakker and Landis, in that order, were scored at the tail end of the lead lap cars, per track race procedure.
Fair’s great run gave him second, Claucherty was steady all night and took third, Jimmy Thiel was fourth and Carlson was fifth. Frank Jiovani was 6th and earned the Moran Chevrolet Hard Charger Award. Stan Yee Jr. was seventh, Paul Pelletier eighth, Bud Perry ninth and Corey Duane tenth. Nick Grodi, Eric Lee, Bob Varney, Bubba Brooks, Bergakker, Landis, Nick Bailey, Jimmie Ward Jr., Craig Everage, Justin Schroeder, Michael Simko, Rosenberry, Jeff Vrsek, Dennis Strickland and Scott Hantz completed the finishing order.
Hantz set the Moran Chevrolet/DTS Drive Train Specialists fast time at 11:688 for the $200 bonus. Scott got crossed up with Everage on lap 16 and sustained damage, enough to end his night. Schroeder had no place to go and got collected in the incident.
Tadek Stadniczuk captured the 25 lap B Main, holding off a determined Matthew Bullock for the win. Steve Cronenwett Jr., Chris Benson, Dave Stehouwer, John Flynn and Rob Randa were next in the finishing order. Scott Pemberton and Joe Hawes did not start the event.
Jeff Vrsek and Stan Yee Jr. won the 15 lap last-chance races. Second place finishers Bubba Brooks and Jack Landis also advanced to the 100 lap event.
The top 5 finishers-Needles, Fair Jr., Claucherty, Thiel and Carlson—are now eligible for a $500 bonus from the “Mystery Award” person, should they win the Moran Chevrolet Stan Yee Memorial 150 July 23. If none of these 5 drivers win the 150, then the top 5 finishers in the 150 will each be awarded $100 bonuses. The top 5 Saturday night collected an additional $50 each.
The ARCA Victory Lane Oil Change Figure 8 division staged a 20 lap event to conclude the night. Dennis Whisman Jr. led the first 8 laps until Greg Studt motored by to take the lead and the win over Billy Earley, Jeremy Vanderhoof, Jeremy Miller, Whisman Jr., Dennis Whisman Sr., David Katafiasz, Randy Roberts, Travis Earley, Ricky Ferrell, James Vanderhoof and Dan Apperson. Whisman Sr. and Ferrell notched the heat wins, the first-ever checkered flag for Ricky. Vanderhoof set the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time at 21:076.
Saturday, July 2 is Kids Night at Flat Rock Speedway! Kids to age 12 will be admitted FREE and receive a FREE hot dog! Parents should pick up the kids tickets at the track ticket windows upon arrival to the track on race day.
On the track, the ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks will battle in their longest and biggest race of the season-the Corrigan Race Fuels Firecracker 100. The ARCA Aramark Late Model Sportsman cars will stage a 50 lap feature, part of the R & M Recycling Silver Cup Series, while the MCR Dwarf Cars will also be in action.
The pit area opens at 2, practice begins at 4, the front gates open at 4, time trials are at 5:30 and racing begins at 7 p.m.